return

1214 the return of the king
that dale behind the Morannon were the tunnels and deep
armouries that the servants of Mordor had made for the
defence of the Black Gate of their land; and there now their
Lord was gathering in haste great forces to meet the onslaught
of the Captains of the West. Upon the out-thrust spurs forts
and towers were built, and watch-fires burned; and all across
the gap an earth-wall had been raised, and a deep trench
delved that could be crossed only by a single bridge.
A few miles north, high up in the angle where the western
spur branched away from the main range, stood the old castle
of Durthang, now one of the many orc-holds that clustered
about the dale of Udûn. A road, already visible in the growing
light, came winding down from it, until only a mile or two
from where the hobbits lay it turned east and ran along a
shelf cut in the side of the spur, and so went down into the
plain, and on to the Isenmouthe.
To the hobbits as they looked out it seemed that all their
journey north had been useless. The plain to their right was
dim and smoky, and they could see there neither camps nor
troops moving; but all that region was under the vigilance of
the forts of Carach Angren.
‘We have come to a dead end, Sam,’ said Frodo. ‘If we go
on, we shall only come up to that orc-tower, but the only
road to take is that road that comes down from it – unless
we go back. We can’t climb up westward, or climb down
eastward.’
‘Then we must take the road, Mr. Frodo,’ said Sam. ‘We
must take it and chance our luck, if there is any luck in
Mordor. We might as well give ourselves up as wander about
any more, or try to go back. Our food won’t last. We’ve got
to make a dash for it!’
‘All right, Sam,’ said Frodo. ‘Lead me! As long as you’ve
got any hope left. Mine is gone. But I can’t dash, Sam. I’ll
just plod along after you.’
‘Before you start any more plodding, you need sleep and
food, Mr. Frodo. Come and take what you can get of them!’
He gave Frodo water and an additional wafer of the way-